Gringo wants LEDAC convened to discuss Spratlys row

Senator Gregorio Honasan on Thursday called on President Benigno Aquino III to once again convene the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), this time to specifically thresh out issues concerning the Spratlys dispute. Honasan, a former military colonel who is vice chairman of the Senate defense committee, said there is a need for the country to finally decide its priorities — whether it be agrarian reform, poverty alleviation, or fighting for the disputed Spratly Islands. "You have to define national interest and national order of priorities," he said, adding that deciding this will determine whether there is a need to revisit laws or treaties like the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) or the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States.

Earlier, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said the country can invoke the MDT if the country's forces in the body of water between the Philippines and mainland Asia are attacked. Enrile issued the statement as claimant countries continue to fight over the Spratly Islands. Aside from the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan are claiming whole or part ownership of the Spratly Islands. LEDAC The LEDAC convenes at least once every quarter. Aquino has already convened the LEDAC once since assuming the presidency last year. During the first LEDAC meet in February, the President identified 23 priority legislations. Created in 1992, the LEDAC has as regular members the President as chairman, the Vice President, the Senate President, the House Speaker, seven Cabinet members, three senators, three House members, and one representative each from the local government, the youth, and the private sector. It serves to help the President integrate his legislative agenda with the national development plan, among others. But even if he wants the LEDAC to tackle the Spratlys issue, Honasan said he favored "upgrading" the National Security Act of 1947 or Commonwealth Act No. 1, which created the National Security Council (NSC). The NSC is the forum where the President can discuss and consider security issues with his Cabinet and other officials. "70 yrs old yun... ganun tayo ka-outdated (That is already 70 years old, that is how outdated we are)," he said. Earlier, Malacañang stressed there was still no need to convene the NSC in the face of renewed tensions over the Spratlys issue. At a press briefing in Malacañang on June 20, Secretary Ricky Carandang of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office said so far there is no recommendation yet from the Cabinet security cluster to convene the NSC. "There have been suggestions that the National Security Council should be convened. I’m sure these suggestions will be considered by the security cluster, pero sa ngayon wala pa akong alam na decision na i-convene yung National Security Council," Carandang said. — RSJ, GMA News